Module 4 Music Born in America

词汇短语园地

1.technique   n.（尤指艺术或科学方面的）技巧；手法，技术

If you want to learn to paint， I suggest you study Raphael’s technique.

如果你想学绘画，我建议你学习拉斐尔的手法。

Let me introduce some of the applications of this technique.

请允许我介绍一些该技术的应用程序。

2.approach   n.   接近，靠近；道路，入口；方法；步骤v.    走进，靠近；接洽，交涉

（1） approach作名词时，意为“接近，靠近；道路，入口；方法；步骤”等。

Our approach drove away the wild animals.

我們一走近，野兽全都跑开了。

All approaches to the town were blocked.

通往这座城镇的所有道路都被封锁了。

However， we found some problems in this approach to the language teaching.

不过我们发现语言教学的方法上存在一些问题。

（2） approach作动词时，意为“走进，靠近”等。

As you approach the town， the first building you see is the church.

当你走近那座城镇的时候，首先看到的就是教堂。

Before trying to solve the puzzle， let us consider the best way to approach it.

要想解决这一难题，我们先来考虑一下如何着手才好。

3. decline   n.   下降，衰退，减少

v.    衰退，下降

（1） decline作名词时，意为“下降，衰退，减少”。

There has been a sharp decline in the sales number of this year.

今年销售量大幅降低。

We are studying the decline of ancient Rome.

我们在研究古罗马的衰落。

（2） decline作动词时，意为“衰退，下降”。

Her influence declined after she lost the election.

她落选后影响力大为降低。

4.touch   v.   触动；感动；使心动；碰到，触摸，与……接触

His sad story touched us and we nearly cried.

他的悲惨遭遇深深打动了我们，我们几乎哭了出来。

He swore he’d never touch a drink again.

他发誓以后滴酒不沾。

touched   adj.   感激的，受感动的

touching   adj.   令人同情的，感人的

5.arise   v.（由……）引起（产生），呈现，发生

Some unexpected difficulties have arisen here.

这儿出现了一些意想不到的困难。

The problem may not arise， but there’s no harm in keeping our powder dry.

问题不一定会发生，但有备无患并无害处。

辨析：比较arise，raise和rise

arise作不及物动词时，用来表示困难、问题、机遇等出现；raise作及物动词时，表示举起、抬起某物，还可表示抚养、养育；rise作不及物动词时，表示某物上升、升起、升高、上涨。

I was raised by my aunt on a farm.

我是在农场由姨妈抚养长大的。

The smoke was rising from the chimney.

烟正从烟囱里升起来。

6.beg   v.   请求，恳求；乞求，乞讨（尤指食物、金钱等）

He begged that he should be sent home.

他请求将他送回家去。

I beg your pardon.

请您原谅。

beg for   乞求，请求

The homeless man has to beg for money.

那个无家可归的人不得不为了钱而乞讨。

7. be bored with   厌烦

Matt was bored with the whole digging project.

马特对整个挖掘工作感到厌烦了。

Don’t be afraid to tell your supervisor that you are bored with what you’re doing and would like a new challenge.

不要害怕告诉上司你对目前的工作感到无聊，并希望接受新的挑战。

8. take advantage of   利用

They took full advantage of the hotel’s facilities.

他们充分利用旅馆的设备。

You should take advantage of the fine weather to paint the fence.

你应该利用好天气给篱笆上油漆。

have the advantage of   有……的有利条件

She had the advantage of a good education.

她具有受过良好教育的有利条件。

9. rather than   而不是

I think I should have a cup of milk rather than coffee.

我想我应该喝一杯牛奶而不是咖啡。

Keep positive by talking about what you like rather than what you dislike.

谈论自己喜欢的事物而不谈自己不喜欢的，可以保持乐观的情绪。

辨析：比较rather than， other than和prefer to do... rather than do/would rather do... than do

（1）rather than意为“而不是，而没有”，常连接两个并列成分。

（2）other than意为“除了……”，一般用于否定句中。

You can’t get there other than by boat.

除了坐船，你无法到那里去。

（3）prefer to do... rather than do和would rather do... than do均意为“宁愿做……而不愿做……”。

I prefer to read rather than watch TV.

我更愿意读书而不是看电视。

He would rather play than do homework.

他宁愿玩也不愿做作业。

幽默小故事

I Can’t Let Him Get Away

A male crab met a female crab and asked her to marry him. She noticed that he was walking straight instead of sideways. “Wow， ” she thought， “this crab is really special. I can’t let him get away.” So they got married immediately.

The next day she noticed her new husband walking sideways like all the other crabs， and got upset. “What happened？” she asked. “You used to walk straight before we were married.”

“Oh， honey，” he replied， “I can’t drink that much every day.”

跟蹤导练（一）

阅读理解

Although classical music has had fame at times for being old-fashioned or difficult to get into， it has become clear in recent years that the classical style has a widespread influence on music， pop culture and people in general.

Some people think that classical music has a positive influence on the brain development. Although there isn’t any real scientific evidence to support a direct connection， there are a few positive effects of playing classical music at home for a baby. Most babies tend to fall asleep faster when listening to classical music. And sleep is beneficial for child brain development. In addition， if the other members enjoy the music， the baby’s environment will probably be happier and more peaceful.

Classical music not only affects brain development but also makes a difference to both pop music and modern music. Classical music directly influences pop culture. For example， Ode to Joy， made by Beethoven， has become a common piece of music on television and in movies. Classical music also has had an influence on modern music. Many bands and artists display a clear classical music influence in their work， from hip hop artists to rockers， and more artists. Many of the rules of music theory， developed in the Baroque period by composers like Bach， are still in use today.

Fans of classical music often talk about the abilities of classical music to emotional influence on the listener. Many people feel happier and more peaceful after listening to only a few minutes of classical music. Of course， this might depend on the composer and the listener; most people will find Beethoven or Handel more calming than Wagner or Stravinsky.

1. How do most babies feel when listening to classical music according Paragraph 2？

A. Upset. B. Safe. C. Peaceful.  D. Energetic.

2. Which aspect of modern music has been affected by classical music？

A. The depth of lyrics. B. The rules of music theory.

C. The way of writing songs. D. The length of a piece of music.

3. What benefit can classical music bring to listeners？

A. It can promote brain development. B. It can inspire new ideas.

C. It can improve listeners’ imagination. D. It can make listeners happy and peaceful.

4. Where is the text most likely from？

A. A magazine. B. A guidebook. C. A novel. D. A diary.

閱读七选五

Music is often targeted at teenagers. Because teenagers go through big changes and start making life-affecting decisions in their teens， people naturally wonder what effects music has on teenagers. Does it lead to violence？ Help test scores？ Teach them valuable lessons？ 1

Music can help students improve academic performance. Studying music involves math and science， so students often improve in these areas. 2 According to a report， students who took part in music performance scored 41 points higher in math than those who did not take part in music performance.

Being a teenager can be rough emotionally. Music is an especially emotional art form covering every type of emotion. 3 As music is a way to express emotions， many teenagers might try to make their own music， which can create healthy emotional expression.

4 Thus， listening to music can teach teenagers a lot about their own culture and other cultures. They can learn musical traditions， musical instruments， history lessons and more. Plus， as listening to music is a fun activity， this can often be a more interesting way to learn about a culture， rather than simply reading a textbook.

Music tastes and interests can often bring people together， especially teenagers. 5 As well， music is often enjoyed at concerts and dance clubs where teenagers often hang out. Typically， the people attending these concerts and dance clubs already share a common interest， so a connection can be easily made.

A. Music is often related with culture.

B. This improvement can benefit them in tests.

C. Music greatly improves teenagers’ learning abilities.

D. While there are negative effects， there are many positive effects， too.

E. If they can find a song that matches their mood， they will feel comfortable.

F. Rap music presents a new vocabulary teenagers won’t learn in an English class.

G. Two teenagers who like the same style of music are easily to start up a friendship.

1. _____________ 2. ____________ 3. ____________ 4. ____________ 5. ____________

跟蹤导练（二）

完形填空

As the drumbeat changed， the dress fluttered （翩翩飞舞） in tune with the girl’s changing steps. Finally， she 1 the performance in a neat pose onstage before the audience.

The girl 2 is actually me. I’ve learned Latin dance since childhood. However， when I became a young girl， conflicts brought by Latin dance made me 3 . The fair skin and slim bodies of mainstream beauty stand in contrast to what Latin dance pursues： power and wildness. As a young girl， I am 4 for beauty. But a girl like me with strong muscles 5 out in a crowd. In addition，

6 feelings caused by unkind judgment piled up in my heart. It was so much that I compromised between power and 7 .

Luckily， in Vienna the match for the Chinese youth team 8 my attention， dragging me out of 9 . Players from different countries gathered to 10 the honors， and I was no exception. Though I had made my efforts， I was 11 to find that I didn’t get the score I expected. The reason， obviously， lay in my 12 . With my reduced intake of protein and carbohydrates （碳水化合物）， I 13 lost a lot of weight， but at the 14 of a sense of power and speed in dance.

In between games， I saw a little girl from Europe take firm and powerful steps in the 14 . Her beauty came from her full muscles. The confidence in her eyes was 15 . Definitely， she won the top prize. 16 her so much， I made her acquaintance and 17 my difficult situation. Till now I do remember the confidence that 18 me and some of her words： “Just be yourself ”.

Looking back， I’m still the dancing girl but my 19 has grown lighter. Something within me is 20 .

1. A. changed B. quitted C. finished D. started

2. A. described B. blamed C. praised D. appointed

3. A. satisfied B. serious C. calm D. discouraged

4. A. grateful B. thirsty C. sorry D. fit

5. A. holds B. stands C. comes D. turned

6. A. lonely B. mixed C. disturbed D. guilty

7. A. speed B. muscles C. softness D. beauty

8. A. paid B. needed C. interrupted D. shifted

9. A. anxiety B. patience C. embarrassment D. excitement

10. A. fight for B. give away C. hand out D. deal with

11. A. pleased B. disappointed C. ashamed D. amazed

12. A. attitude B. exercise C. laziness D. diet

13. A. hopelessly B. unconsciously C. visibly D. eagerly

14. A. thought B. cost C. end D. sight

15. A. programme B. activity C. project D. competition

16. A. weak B. important C. unstoppable D. lost

17. A. Missing B. Admiring C. Helping D. Supporting

18. A. remembered B. recalled C. shared D. analyzed

19. A. inspired B. delighted C. confused D. reminded

20. A. heart B. confidence C. weight D. pain

跟踪导练（三）

阅读理解

A

Laguna Beach Festival of Arts

Festival Store

Plenty of people attend Laguna Beach Festival of Arts just to admire the works of art. However， for serious art buyers， attending early in the season means a lot， since excellent pieces often sell early. Weekdays are less busy but there are fewer artists present. They often meet crowds in the evening that show up for the Pageant （盛會） of the Masters. Some artists may negotiate prices at the end of the season. If you just want souvenirs of your visit， a variety of products are available in the Festival Store.

Fun Activities

Part of the fun of the festival comes from the activities that go on during the event. Tours and art workshops are available every day. Weekends are full of live music and special events. To get best value for the money you spend during the week， Thursday is the day to go for art talks by participating artists and evening jazz.

Food & Drinks

Food and drinks are sold at the snack bar. Tivoli Terrace cafe and restaurants are on site for more formal dining. Picnics are welcome during art talks or music shows， and there are tables set up in the courtyard for you to enjoy your homemade or take-away food. But alcohol is forbidden here. On Thursdays， central tables are reserved for ticket holders.

Cost of the Tickets

Entrance admission： $60 per person （the Pageant of the Masters and live music shows included）

Joint pass： $120 per person （free of charge for all the performances）

Notes： Since there are many visitors on the weekends， the ticket office may be crowded. For faster service， call free number 24 hours a day.

For more information， visit www.lagunabeachfestivalofarts.com.

1. What should one do to buy some good pieces of art in the festival？

A. Go there on weekdays. B. Turn to artists for advice.

C. Go there as soon as it starts. D. Show up for the Pageant of the Masters.

2. What can all visitors do in the courtyard？

A. Drink alcohol. B. Have a formal dinner.

C. Eat at central tables as they like. D. Appreciate music while eating.

3. How much should a couple pay at least to see live music shows？

A. $60. B. $120. C. $180. D. $240.

B

A study of 500，000 songs released （發行） in the UK between 1985 and 2015 showed that pop music had decreased in happiness and increased in sadness.

In a report published in the journal Royal Society Open Science， researchers at the University of California examined hundreds of thousands of songs and classified them by their mood. “ ‘Happiness’ is going down， ‘sadness’ is going up， and at the same time， songs are becoming more ‘danceable’ and more ‘party­like’，” co­author Natalia L. Komarova told The Associated Press.

The study found songs in 2014 like Stay with Me by Sam Smith， Whispers by Passenger and Unmissable by Gorgon City have a “low happiness” trend. However， tracks from 1984 like Glory Days by Bruce Springsteen， Would I Lie to You？ by Eurythmics and Freedom by Wham have a “high happiness” trend. “The public seems to prefer happier songs， even though more and more unhappy songs are being released each year，” the researchers wrote.

Apart from the emotional trends， researchers discovered that dances and pop were the most successful styles of music and that there was a “clear downward” trend， with the popularity of rock beginning in the early 2000s. “So it looks like， while the overall mood is becoming less happy， people seem to want to forget it all and dance，” Komarova wrote in an email.

It was also found that the “maleness” of songs—the frequency of male singers in popular music—had decreased during the last 30 years. “Successful songs are characterized by a larger percentage of female artists compared to all songs，” they wrote.

This discovery appears at a time when the conversation around sex equality in the music industry is at its height， with more male artists and songwriters.

4. Why do the researchers examine lots of songs？

A. To find songs for dances and parties. B. To choose songs for a journal.

C. To know better about songs. D. To release more songs.

5. Whose music style tends to bring you more happiness？

A. Gorgon City’s. B. Sam Smith’s.

C. Natalia L. Komarova’s. D. Bruce Springsteen’s.

6. What can we learn about songs over the past 30 years？

A. Rock became popular in the early 2000s.

B. Fewer songs were written by female artists.

C. Fewer unhappy songs came to light every year.

D. Pop music were more popular with male singers.

7. What can be the best title for the text？

A. Pop Music is Getting Sadder B. Music Calls for Sex Equality

C. Pop Music Has a Long History D. Music Industry is Going Down

跟蹤导练（四）

完形填空

Today marked my fifth violin anniversary. Five years ago I walked into a music shop and asked， “Do you 1 violin lessons？” I was standing in a room 2 with beautiful instruments and felt like a 3 in a new land. I had little 4 in playing the violin although I had loved violin music for years. I wanted to learn to play it at that moment.

The music shop signed me up for 5 and it soon became clear to me how 6 it was for a novice （初学者） to learn to play the violin. I once watched an accomplished violinist play and it looked 7 . In fact， it was more difficult than I had expected. Little did I know there was nothing  natural about the position in which one 8 the instrument. There was no margin for error （出错余地）—a（n） 9 misplaced finger sent a note out of tune. If I had known how challenging it would be I might never have 10 . However， my love for violin music 11 all the difficulties.

Though it was a big challenge， I made it at last. I 12 first place in the violin contest in our city last year.

Looking back on the past five years with my 13 ， I realize that I’ve 14 much more than how to make music. I believe 15 are not failures. They are pointing you toward where to 16 your attention. Besides， you’d better not 17 yourself with others. If you find you’re not as good as someone， you will feel a sense of frustration. If the despair creeps （蔓延） in and—you feel 18 ， remember why you started. For me， it was because I loved violin music and it made me happy. What’s more， remember that developing a new skill 19 repetition. The more you practice， the more you learn. Above all， you need to persevere no matter how difficult the situation is. I also think these lessons 20 to anything we take on.

1. A. prepare B. offer C. promise D. support

2. A. supplied B. charged C. filled D. shared

3. A. stranger B. relative C. judge D. classmate

4. A. patience   . B. consideration C. imagination D. experience

5. A. lessons B. contests C. performances D. concerts

6. A. practical B. meaningful C. convenient D. challenging

7. A. unusual B. independent C. simple D. interesting

8. A. held B. played C. used D. laid

9. A. fairly B. slightly C. equally D. necessarily

10. A. started B. finished C. mentioned D. thought

11. A. ignored B. faced C. noticed D. conquered

12. A. expected B. reached C. won D. allowed

13. A. difficulty B. study C. way D. violin

14. A. explained B. guessed C. learned D. arranged

15. A. plans B. mistakes C. changes D. results

16. A. record B. organize C. escape D. focus

17. A. leave B. share C. compare D. involve

18. A. optimistic B. amazed C. desired D. depressed

19. A. improves B. requires C. reduces D. prevents

20. A. apply B. lead C. respond D. occur

跟蹤导练（五）

阅读理解

There are some songs you can listen to over and over again. But why？ Music experts gave these explanations for why we keep playing them again and again.

One of the main reasons certain songs resonate （产生共鸣） with us is the way we connect them with a part of ourselves. A song’s lyrics， beats and other characteristics can show different feelings and attitudes. Each time we re-experience our favorite music， we’re sort of strengthening our sense of who we are， where we belong and what we value.

Pablo Ortiz， professor of music composition at the University of California， Davis， also noted that certain songs can connect us to a time in our past because they carry a certain feeling. “Whenever you listen to a song that you used to listen to when you were 15， for example， the feeling about that period in your life comes back completely，” he said. “The sound is abstract enough to go directly to the part of your brain that governs the feeling.”

Laura Taylor， a composer and sound designer， offered insight into how some songs are intentionally designed to make you play them more and more. “While we are doing recording， we keep the stereo （立体声的） field a little more narrow. When we get to the sing-along part， there’s a wall of guitars or a wall of keyboards. These help create a simple melody that doesn’t take a lot of effort to engage with.”

Whatever the reason behind your most frequently played music， it’s likely that those songs make you feel something. People love to listen to songs repeatedly because that helps them recover a certain feeling. It could be sadness or happiness. Songs always help.

1. What can we learn about music from Paragraph 2？

A. It contributes to mental health. B. It inspires us to develop better taste.

C. It is connected to our sense of identity. D. It can improve our personal relationships.

2. What is Pablo’s explanation for music repetition？

A. It helps our brains work better.

B. It makes us recall the good old days.

C. It reminds us of some certain moments.

D. It makes people forget some bad experiences.

3. How could people create catchy songs that may be played repeatedly？

A. By adding humor to the lyrics. B. By bringing in voices of children.

C. By reducing the use of instruments. D. By making them easy to sing along with.

4. What can be the best title for the text？

A. The Importance of Having a Hobby

B. The Characteristics of Popular Music

C. How to Choose Music Suitable for You？

D. Why do We Love Repeating the Same Songs？

語法填空

Since my retirement from teaching music， I 1 （spend） a good deal of time painting as an artist. I actually began drawing when my father died， so perhaps I was trying 2 （recover） from the loss of my father， 3 maybe it was just paintings that brought back memories of him.

4 some strange reasons， I had been waiting until my retirement to start to do watercolors again， but as soon as I walked out of the school door for the last time， I picked up my brushes and rediscovered Andrew Wyeth， 5 quickly became my favorite artist. I had looked through all the art books I had on my shelves and found his watercolors to be the 6 （close） to how I thought good watercolors should look. So I painted landscapes around Minnesota for three years and tried out many other 7 （type） of painting. However， watercolors remained my first 8 （choose）， and I think I did my best work there， 9 （display） my paintings at a number of art shows.

I think it 10 （wonder） to have some time doing what I want to do. As Confucius once said， “At seventy I can follow my heart’s desire.”

1. _____________ 2. ____________ 3. ____________ 4. ____________ 5. ____________

6. ____________ 7. ____________ 8. ____________ 9. ____________ 10. ____________

短文改错

There is a famous song called Never Say Never， which is one of my favorite song. The lyrics tell people no matter what happens， never give it up. And then you will be successful. I stick to believe those words. But last week， I watch a TV show in which the host asked people learn to give up sometimes. He explained that he met a boy who were not good at math but extreme skilled in drawing. Therefore， he suggested the boy give up the major and learn drawing. But now， the boy is a famous painter. It proves that giving up is not always the bad thing， because your potential is which really gives you the chance to succeed.

跟蹤导练（六）

语法填空

You never know 1 romantic and talented Chinese people can be. The only 2 （survive） painting by the Northern Song Dynasty’s （960—1127） young genius artist Wang Ximeng， A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains， is probably the 3 （fine） example of Chinese blue-green landscape paintings. With bright mineral pigments （颜料）， the painter paints a vast country landscape， an ideal world of perfect order and harmony that people dream of. Now， nearly 1，000 years later， Chinese musicians are doing 4 same thing as Wang， but this time through the art of music.

The 5 （music） interpretation （演绎） 6 the masterpiece A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains first appeared in Shanghai as the closing performance of the Music in the Summer Air concert 7 （give） by the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra on Sunday. Following the concert， the performance began on Wednesday Xi’an， Shaanxi Province.

“Just as Chinese painting aesthetics stress the relationship between artistic conception and the viewer’s mentality， the music 8 （create） can help people understand the landscape and the heaven and sky in 9 （we） hearts as well as the feelings toward nature and humanity in the form of music，” the piece’s composer Zhao Lin 10 （tell） the Global Times on Tuesday.

This symphony orchestra （交响乐团） work showed the world of the great painting.

1. _____________ 2. ____________ 3. ____________ 4. ____________ 5. ____________

6. ____________ 7. ____________ 8. ____________ 9. ____________ 10. ____________

书面表达

音乐被公认为全人类共同的语言，是我们生活中必不可少的一部分。请写一篇关于音乐的英语短文，谈谈你对音乐的认识。内容包括：

1﹒音乐的重要性；

2﹒你所知道的音乐类型；

3﹒你最喜欢的音乐类型（说明理由）。

注意：

1﹒词数100左右；

2﹒可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

背景大链接

The Legend of John Denver

约翰·丹佛传奇

John Denver was one of the most popular musical artists during the 1970s. He was known for his songs about the beauty of nature. He was also a human rights and environmental activist.

He was born Henry John Deutschendorf， Junior in 1943 in Roswell， New Mexico. John’s grandmother gave him his first musical instrument when he was seven years old. When he began performing， he changed his last name to Denver.

In 1965， John Denver joined the band called the Chad Mitchell Trio. He later left the group to perform alone. His first hit record was Take Me Home， Country Road in 1971.

He had a very successful career with hit songs like “Sunshine on My Shoulders” “Annie’s Song” and “Thank God I’m a Country Boy”. This song， “Rocky Mountain High”， is one of the official songs of Colorado.

John Denver sold more than ten million albums around the world. He received many music industry awards. He is one of the most famous musicians in the history of American music. He used his popularity to support environmental causes.

In 1997， John Denver was killed at the age of 54 when the plane he was piloting crashed.

約翰·丹佛是20世纪70年代最受欢迎的音乐艺术家之一。他以演唱描述自然之美的歌曲而闻名，同时也是一位人权及环境保护主义运动家。

约翰·丹佛1943年出生于美国的新墨西哥州罗斯维尔城，原名亨利·约翰·得奇道夫。7岁时，祖母送给他第一件乐器。他开始表演生涯后，改名为丹佛。

1965年，约翰·丹佛加入查德·米歇尔三重唱乐队。后来他离开乐队单飞，于1971年发行第一张热销唱片《乡村路带我回家》。

约翰·丹佛因演唱的《肩上阳光》《安妮的歌曲》《感谢上帝我是个乡下孩子》等曲目红遍美国。丹佛的歌曲《高高的洛基山》是科罗拉多州的官方歌曲之一。

约翰·丹佛的唱片全球销量过千万。他获奖无数，是美国音乐史上最为著名的音乐家之一。他利用自己的影响力支持环保事业。

1997年，约翰·丹佛因飞机失事身亡，终年54岁。